Single delivery cigarette dispenser



Nov. 18, 1-947. ZANARDQ I 2,431,219

SINGLE DELIVERY CIGARETTE DISPENSER Filed April 23, 1947 Patented Nov. 18, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT "OFFICE SINGLE DELIVERY CIGARETTE DISPENSER Peter J. Zanardo, Chicago, Ill.

Application April 23, 1947, Serial No. 743,349

invention relates to cigarette dispensers and more particularly to those of the single delivery type. One object is .to provide a single delivery cigarette dispenser having automatic means for so agitating the supply of cigarettes upon each delivery as to position and maintain the remaining cigarettes, particularly those next in order for delivery, in predetermined relative position insuring the specific delivery action desired.

A further object is to provide a single delivery cigarette dispenser wherein the contents are insured against dryness at all times and wherein the operation of the mechanism can be relied upon and caused to function dependably upon manual actuation by the operator of the delivery trigger or release lever.

A still further object is to provide a single delivery cigarette dispenser of simple construction that is inexpensive to manufacture, durable and sanitary in use, ornamental in appearance and one wherein the movable parts are readily accessible for cleaning, repair or replacement when desired.

Other objects, novel features and advantages of arrangement, construction and design comprehended by the invention are hereinafter more fully pointed out or made apparent from the following description-of a preferred embodiment as illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the cigarette dispenser.

Fig. 2 is a view of the cigarette dispenser in side elevation.

Fig. 3 is a view of the cigarette dispenser in front elevation but partly in vertical section.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view similar to Fig. 2 but with the cover plate removed to disclose a portion of the operating mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken through Fig. 4 on the line 5-5 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal substantially central vertical sectional view through Fig. 3 on the line 66.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view illustrating a pintle and keeper connection employed, and,

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view through a slightly modified form of the dispenser.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, the reference numeral I denotes a casing or hopper the upper portion of which in this instance is square 1 Claim. (01. 3-12-78) in horizontal cross section, open at the top, and formed preferably .of a single piece of material, a downwardly sloping extension 2 being identified with the front face '3 of the hopper contiguous to the lateral wings 4, '5 which are a forward continuation of the hopper side walls 6, 1, respectively, which wings remote from the hopper are disposed inwardly or toward each other to form terminals 8, 9 separated by the deep indentation or finger recess H] in the material which then slopes upwardly to and passes beneath and beyond the lower termination of the front face 3 forming an apron H which is formed with recesses l2, l3 that extend from said indentation to wings 4 or 5. The lowermost edges of the hopper side walls 6, 1, rear wall 14, wings 4, 5, terminals 8, 9 and apron indentation l0 are in a-common plane and form a base for the dispenser, the front wall or face 3 terminating at a point [5 spaced from the apron.

The apron l I is integral with the hopper partition H upwardly inclined from front to rear of the hopper and formed with offset I6 and secured at its rear end I! to the rear wall l4. Secured to or integral with the face 3 within the hopper is the container l8, one wall thereof formed with perforations i9 communicating with the hopper interior, the container being open at the top or provided with a cover.

One wall 20 of said container slants upwardly from the lower edge of hopper face 3 and at its junction with the perforate wall 20' forms an inwardly disposed abutment shoulder 2| for positioning engagement with the cigarette contents of the hopper when filled beyond this point. The compartment or container [8 is provided with a moisture saturated sponge 22 which forms a humidifier for the hopper contents through the medium of perforations I9. Disposed beneath and substantially in line with the lower edge of the face 3 is the pintle 23 of the depending gate 24, said pintle being pivotally supported in hopper walls 6, 1 the latter wall being formed with a slot 25 through and beyond which said pintle extend-s and at its outer portion being engaged by the angularly slotted end of the keeper 26 secured by screws 21 to wall I. The gate 24, preferably concavo-convex in vertical section, is fast to said pintle and normally approximately closes the space between face 3 and apron I I but when said pintle is partially rotated in one direction the gate is opened outwardly into the dotted line position, Fig. 6. The gate is formed at about its longitudinal central portion with the U-shaped finger opening 28.

Slidably disposed upon partition II and extending from the front almost to the back of the hopper and across the offset I6 is the delivery plate 29 formed with transversely disposed corrugations 33, said delivery plate being operatively engaged by a pin 3| operative in an inclined slot 32 in hopper wall I, said pin exterior of said wall being connected by the link 33 to one end of the bell-crank-lever 34 fast to said gate pintle 23, the opposite end of said bell-crank-lever disposed in the V-shaped recess 35 of plunger 36 operative in the spaced lugs 31, 38 secured to hopper wall I, said plunger having one slightly enlarged end 39' below lug 38 to prevent withdrawal of the plunger in one direction.

The plunger above lug 31 is formed with a spur 40 and between same and lug 3Tis provided with the expansion coil spring 4| yieldingly retaining the plunger in raised position, said plunger at its upper end being provided with the removable screw cap 42. The upper open end of the hopper permits filling same with cigarettes which lie upon the delivery plate 29, the exposed portion of partition H and against the container I8 and rear wall M. The cigarettes nearest the point of delivery lie against the gate 24 and upon the delivery plate corrugations. When the hopper is supplied it is closed by the cover 43 which may then serve as an ash tray. A cover plate 44 of correct size to enclose the mechanism disposed against the exterior face of the hopper wall 1 is secured removably to that wall by a screw 45 extending through said plate and into a small threaded wall perforation 46, the plate 44 being formed also with a perforation 4'! to receive the plunger 36.

Referring now to Fig. 8, showing a modification, a front wall or face 3 is formed with a slot 48 for passage and operation of the lever 49 pivotally secured to the wall I by pin 50, this lever passing also through a perforation in one end of the plunger 52, a spring 53 upon said plunger abutting a lug 54 and shoulder 55 to yieldingly retain the plunger in raised position.

In use the operator depresses the plunger or lever 49 to move the bell-crank-lever 34 which, through link 33, moves the delivery plate 29 by means of pin 3 I. At the same time the bell-cranklever moves the pintle 23 opening gate 24 to permit the lowermost cigarette thereagainst to be moved by plate 29 through the opening normally closed by the gate and to pass over the apron H into the recesses I2, I3 from which it is manually removed. Immediately after passage of one cigarette the spring 4| or 53 returns the associated plunger closing the gate before the cigarette next in order may pass through the delivery opening.

The shoulder 2| and slanting wall 20 of the humidifier together with the movements of the delivery plate 29 agitate and automatically position the cigarettes next in order, preventing jamming or packing and insuring orderly single delivery.

What isclaimed is:

In a single delivery cigarette dispenser, a hop- 1 per having a delivery opening in one Wall, a partition insaid hopper, an apron integral with said partition and defining the floor of said delivery openin and extending outwardly therebeyond, the end of said apron being recessed to receive a cigarette, a gate in said delivery opening, a corrugated delivery plate slidable upon said partition immediately adjacent said gate, one edge of said gate spaced from said sliding plate a distance slightly less than the thickness of a single cigarette in one position of said plate, a moisture container carried by the aforesaid hopper wall having an inwardly and upwardly inclined wall terminating in a shoulder disposed a substantial distance from said gate, said inclined Wall spaced from said sliding plate a distance but slightly greater than the thickness of a cigarette, a plunger operatively carried by said hopper yieldingly retained in a predetermined position, and connections between said plunger, gate and delivery plate for actuating the last two named members simultaneously.

PETER J. ZANARDO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 537,811 Bowie et al Apr. 23, 1895 2,074,925 Krause Mar. 23, 1937 2,099,862 Miller 1 Nov. 23, 1937 2,342,747 Mayer Feb. 29, 1944 

